Cristiano Ronaldo has rewritten a new chapter in the history of global sports, after Forbes magazine estimated his net worth at about $1.2 billion, making him one of the richest athletes in history, while maintaining his position as the highest-paid athlete in the world with revenues amounting to $300 million over the past 12 months.

This level of income means that the Portuguese star’s wealth is growing at a rate exceeding $570 per minute, a number that reflects the tremendous transformation that his financial career has witnessed in recent years, especially since his move to the Saudi League with Al-Nasr Club.

These numbers seem more impressive when compared to the situation Ronaldo was in before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At that time, uncertainty surrounded his football future after he left the accounts of Manchester United coach Erik Ten Hag, and sparked a famous television interview in which he said that he felt “betrayed” by the English club. A few days after the interview, the two parties ended their relationship by mutual consent, and the player entered the free market amid questions about his future at a relatively advanced age for a professional football player.

But what seemed at the time a professional crisis later turned into one of the most profitable deals in the history of sports. Just weeks later, Ronaldo signed a contract with the Saudi Al-Nasr Club in early 2023, before renewing his association with the club in 2025. Forbes estimates that the contract brings him more than $200 million annually, a number that far exceeds what he achieved during his last years in European stadiums.

Ronaldo’s financial rise was not limited to his football salary only, as he continued to build his business empire through sponsorship contracts and various investments. It also benefited from one of the largest fan bases in the world, with the number of its followers on social media platforms approaching one billion, making it a preferred destination for international brands looking to reach a wide and diverse audience.

This combination of sporting success and marketing power resulted in an unprecedented financial achievement. According to Forbes, Ronaldo became the first athlete in history to exceed $2 billion in cumulative professional earnings while still active in sports, before taxes and agent commissions are taken into account. He also officially joined the list of billionaire athletes, alongside his historical rival Lionel Messi, in a new station that reflects how modern football has turned into an industry capable of producing wealth comparable to major international companies.

Recently, Portugal exited the World Cup in the round of 16 against Spain in the last minutes, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of obtaining the World Cup title during his professional career. But this remains a theoretical assumption, as the 41-year-old player may continue his sports career and continue breaking records, but in the field of fitness.